Straffe Hendrik Xmas Blend Barrel Age Quadruple Blend

Posted on by Evan

I have been to Brewer De Haan Man in Bruges, Belgium. They produce Straffe Hendrik, and this particular beer is the Xmas Blend Barrel-Aged Quadruple, which is 11% ABV. This beer is only available at Christmas time in 750ml bottles. This quad is bottled fermented and aged in American or French oak, either a whiskey, rum, or Bordeaux, and Calvados. They also use young quadruple ale as well as barrel-aged beer. This quad pours brown with a one-finger cream beige head. That head sticks to the top of the beer like a creamy film. The aroma is of vanilla, sweetness, and it’s boozy. The flavor is sweet, vanilla, booze, and light nutty flavors. This has a full-bodied mouthfeel. Then this beer finishes with a rich vanilla and boozy flavor. The aftertaste is light, with sweet vanilla notes that do linger for a while. This Xmas Blend is a delicious beer that gets an A+. It is 11% ABV, but that is not really reflected in the flavor. I would highly recommend this to you. It has a good, strong flavor without being too overpowering. This would be a great addition to any holiday party. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Brouwerij Huyghe Delirium Nocturnum

Posted on by Evan

Brouwerij Huyghe is probably one of the best breweries. I think so. This particular Brouwerij Huyghe beer is Delirium Nocturnum, an 8.5% ABV Belgian dark strong ale. This ale hales from Malle, Belgium. This ale pours brown with red-hued edges and a two-finger beige head. The aroma is malty and sweet. It is a dark fruit (plum) kind of sweetness. The flavor is sweet and malty. I found it to have dark stone fruits(plum and prune). This ale has a full, rich mouthfeel. The finish is malty, less sweet than its first initial taste. There is a dark, fruity, and malty aftertaste that lingers. I have had this many times. It is good every time. I think everyone should try Delirium Nocturnum. I believe it’s an A+. Really, one of the best beers in the world. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Lindemans Apple (POMME) Lambic Beer

Posted on by Evan

Here is another beer from Lindemans mixed four-pack, and it is Apple (POMME) Lambic Beer. This Beer is an 8-ounce, 3.5% ABV lambic with apple, and it is the youngest in the range (since 2005). This beer pours honey gold with a one-finger white head. The aroma is sweet, apple, sour, and tart. The flavor is the same, and the aroma has sweetness, sour notes, apple, and tart flavors. This apple Lambic has a light feel in the mouth. The aftertaste is tart apple. The finish is sweet and sour apple flavor with tartness that lingers until the next sip. This beer is good, but lighter overall than the Kriek Cherry. This Apple Lambic is an A. This is more of a summer beer than the Cherry, but the Cherry is still a summer drinker. Both are good, and there are two left in the mixed pack. Once all have been reviewed, I will review the mixed pack overall and pick my favorite. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Lindmans Kriek Cherry Lambic Beer

Posted on by Evan

I found this little eight-ounce Lindemans Kriek in a mixed four-pack at my local Whole Foods. This beer is a 3.5% Kriek Cherry Lambic that goes through a secondary fermentation process in the bottle. This cheery beer is filtered and pasteurized before being bottled and made from a Lambic base. That is the difference between this beer and Oude Kriek Cuvée René. This beer is a maceration of 25% of fresh sour cherry juice, then it is filtered and pasteurised. This Kriek pours a cherry red with a one-finger thin pink head. The aroma is tart, sweet, and sour, with a hint of cherry. The flavor is tart, light, and sour, with a big cherry flavor and some sweetness. This Kriek has a medium mouthfeel. The finish is tart cherry and light sweetness. The aftertaste lingers with cherry tartness and sweet flavors. This is a delicious beer without an overly high ABV. Ledemins Kriek is an A. But I don’t think you can drink more than a 750ML bottle. The flavor gets too much, but it’s still delicious, and you should be drinking this beer! Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Sint Bernardus Brouwerij & Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan Kombine Unfiltered Helles

Posted on by Evan

Kombine is a collaboration between St. Bernardus in Watou, Belgium, and Weihenstephan in Freising, Germany. This beer is a 6% ABV unfiltered Helles. This beer isn’t bottle-fermented like St. Bernardus beers. This Helles follows the German Reinheitsgebot and uses Weihenstephan yeast, a blend of hops from both St. Bernardus and Weihenstephan. This Helles is the first bottom-fermented beer that St. Bernardus has brewed. This Helles pours a yellow that has a very light orange hue. This beer has a two-finger white head that fades at a steady pace. The aroma is semi-sweet notes, banana, and very light hops. The flavor is similar to its aroma. This beer flavor reminds me of Delirium, but a lighter Delirium. The mouthfeel is medium. Then this helles has a smooth finish of light, sweet notes. The aftertaste is very little banana with a light hop note. This beer is a very delicious Helles. I give Kombine an A+. I found it to be smooth, flavorful, and refreshing. I hope that you find it that way as well, because I highly recommend Kombine. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Burial Beer X Halfway Crooks Beer Sturdy Belgian-Style Pilsner

Posted on by Evan

This Belgian-Style Pilsner, Sturdy, is a collaboration between Burial Beer (Charlotte, NC) and Halfway Crooks Beer (Atlanta, GA) for Burial’s 12th anniversary. This beer is 5.5% ABV, brewed with Belgian Pilsner malt from Dingemans in Belgium. This Pilsner is hopped with Brewers Gold. I went down to South Carolina and purchased this from Southern Spirits (www.southernspirits.com). They have a good selection of beer/craft beer. I recommend shopping there. This Pilsner pours a golden color with a two-finger, slow-rising white head. The aroma is dry, crisp, herbal, and biscuity. The taste is crisp, dry, herbal, and biscuity. It has a very light bitterness. The herbal flavor comes from the Belgian Pilsen malt and the hops. That is a good flavor. This beer has a light mouthfeel. This beer has a light herbal dry finish with a delightful dry note. The aftertaste is crisp yet dry and biscuity. This beer is interesting, and I give an A. A different take on a Pilsner. It is one that you should have. So get Sturdy Belgian-Style Pilsner. Please stay safe, be kind to one another, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers! 

Brouwerij Huyghe Delirium Black Berrel Aged

Posted on by Evan

From Melle, Belgium, Delirium Black Barrel Age by Brouweij Heuyghe is Delirium Nocturnum aged in oak bourbon barrels for nine months. I have only seen this bottle in Belgium, but I finally saw it at my local Whole Foods. This beer is 11.5% ABV. This beer pours a deep brown with a two-finger beige head That head is slow to fade. The aroma is of vanilla, bourbon, alcohol, and spices. The flavor is vanilla, almond, bourbon, and light-tasting dark fruits (some raisins). This has a somewhat full mouthfeel. Then, it comes to a woody bourbon and caramel aftertaste. This barrel beer finishes with a woody vanilla and caramel boozy flavor. This beer is a good barrel-aged beer that is not overly heavy and alcoholic. The Delirium Black is an A. This is definitely a beer worth drinking and sharing. It has such a great balance between the delicious flavors. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Victory Brewing Company Merry Monkey Belgian-Style Ale

Posted on by Evan

Merry Monkey is a Belgian-style ale with cranberry, orange peel, nutmeg, and Cinnamon. This beer is 10% ABV and is from Victory Brewing Company. This ale also has Cascade and Tettnang hops with Pilsner and roasted malt barley. This beer is part of Victory’s Monkey beers, but this particular beer is only available during the holidays. It’s a Christmas beer, after all. This beer pours copper with a one-finger white head. It says for a short while, then fades. The aroma is Cinnamon, nutmeg, and some orange. It does not really smell of cranberries The flavor is of cinnamon, nutmeg, orange, light cranberries, and a bit boozy. This does taste like a Belgian Christmas beer. The mouthfeel is more on the fuller side. Then, it finishes with an alcoholic hit of cinnamon and nutmeg. There is a bit of a fading cranberry note on the finishes. The cranberry fades away on the aftertaste with some cinnamon and nutmeg-covered orange that lingers. Merry Monkey is an A. I am not a cinnamon fan, but it had a tolerable flavor here. This beer has a well-brewed flavor profile, making it a delicious beer you should have. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Brasserie L’abbaye Du Val-Dieu Winter Ale

Posted on by Evan

I have never heard of Brasserie L’abby Du Val-Dieu in Aubel, Belgium. This is their Winter Ale, which is 7% ABV. This beer is categorized as a strong golden Ale. I have not had any beers from Val-Dieu before, so this is my first. This ale pours a deep yellow color with a one-finger white foam head. This beer has strong, fruity, sweet, and spicy aromas. You’ll find strong flavors and spicy notes around some light fruit. This has a medium mouthfeel. It finishes a bit strong, fruity, and sweet, with a strong aftertaste of some alcohol. This is good and very typical of a Belgian beer. If you blinded this and gave it to me, I would say it was a Belgian-strong, and I give this an A-. It is almost a good Duvel, probably the best, Belgian strong golden Ale. But I would pass on this one. It’s a good beer, and I will be on the lookout for more beers from Val-Dieu. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Abby St. Sixtus Westvleteren 12

Posted on by Evan

I bought this Quadrupel ale, Westvleteren 12 at the Abby St. Sixtus gift shop in the Abby restaurant. I was on a Belgian Beer Me tour in Westvleteren, Belgium. I have previously reviewed the Dubbel and Blonde beer from them as well. This beer is 10.2% ABV. This quad pours a rich dark brown with a two-finger creamy beige head. The head is prolonged to dissipate. The aroma is dark, rich, and sweet. It has a dark candy aroma. The flavor is rich, dark, sweet (licorice), smooth, strong, and light-boozy. This has a cream and medium feeling in the mouth. The smooth finish of this beer is rich and sweet. There is a little cocoa note. The aftertaste is lightly sweet but smooth with a faint bitterness. This is an excellent quadrupel ale, that is an A+. It has everything you’d expect in a quad in a very delicious manner. I would not pass on this beer if you ever come across it or any Westvleteren beers. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!